Microsoft to remove low-quality apps from the Windows Store to improve experience

Windows Store tile in the Start screen Windows 8.1

The new modern user-interface wasn’t the only change in Windows 8, Microsoft also released the Windows Store, which has changed the way we get apps on our PCs. But it isn’t perfect, at launch, back in October 2012, there were around 5,000 apps. This wasn’t even one percent of the number of apps the Apple’s iTunes and Google Play Store have.

Today, there are close to 150,000 Metro-style apps in the Windows Store available for download, however one big problem is clogging the store: low-quality, fake, and spam apps. The good news is that Microsoft is acknowledging the situation, it’s promises that is working to only offer high-quality apps in the store and also that it will work with developers to improve the current experience to users.

According to a report from Softpedia, Microsoft spotted “Word Online”, an app that offered access to features in Office Online in the modern UI, and removed it from the store. Even though, this example, points only to an app that was affecting a Microsoft product, the company also has removed apps that are violating the guidelines in the Windows Store, offer little value, and confuse users.

Although, the company is working on fixing this problem, I wonder: How are low-quality, copycats, and spam apps are getting into the Windows Store in the first place? Doesn’t Microsoft have a certification guideline to prevent this to happen? I really don’t want think the company had a soften guideline before, just to get apps into the store. However, I like to see Microsoft taking action and hopefully soon enough, I won’t find 50 different Facebook apps, 1000 Twitter apps, or 200 Angry Birds apps.

If the software giant delivers on the promise, this will be one of many issues in current state of the Windows Store. In my opinion, I still find the store as an incomplete experience. For example, in the past, with the release of Windows 8.1, users had many problems getting the update and if Microsoft wants people to upgrade the installations need to be flawless. Also the user-interface needs refinements, it needs work to provide a better experience with the keyboard and mouse, an option to remove purchased apps from my catalog would be nice. If you’re search for an app and happens to be already installed in your PC, it would be nice to have button to launch the app and to reinstall if necessary.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.